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Combined Jewish Philanthropies -3- October 23 -24, 1975, Hyannis
Executive Board Conference The Role of Federation in Insuring
Jewish Continuity
the dead for burial. How reminiscent of the services and programs of the CJP family
of agencies -- each rooted in Jewish tradition and finding continuity through the ages'
The concept of community is expressed by Maimonides, in his Mishnah Torah,
as follows:
''Although he may not have committed any transgressions, but simply
separated himself from the congregation of Israel and does not perform
the commandments together with them, does not participate in their
troubles nor observe their fast days, but rather goes his own way, he
has no share in the world to come."7
A modern commentator analyzing this statement observes:
"Community, in Jewish thought, is a theological concept. God wants . . .
a community of Jews and . . . all of the communal activities ... to
come under the influence of sanctity. We need a community, because it
is the only way and it is the only form through which we can express
g
compassion, justice, righteousness, which is the essence of Judaism."
The tradition of Jewish communal life since the period of the Babylonian exile,
was expressed in the Kehillah, which has existed in various forms in the countries where
Jews have lived. One scholar defines the Kehillah as "frequently a central organization
regulating the ritual, educational, and charitable institutions of a community, and . . .
9
recognized by the Government as representing the community."
Another scholar, who studied an historical effort to establish a Kehillah in the
United States during this century, describes the Kehillah in its classic form as it was
developed in Poland during the early Seventeenth Century:
"Structurally, the . . . Kehillah combined ... a strong executive body and
I
a wide-ranging network of voluntary associations. Elected elders, drawn

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User has an obligation to determine copyright or other use restrictions prior to publication or distribution. Please contact the archives at reference@ajhsboston.org or 617-226-1245 for more information.

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Transcript

Combined Jewish Philanthropies -3- October 23 -24, 1975, Hyannis
Executive Board Conference The Role of Federation in Insuring
Jewish Continuity
the dead for burial. How reminiscent of the services and programs of the CJP family
of agencies -- each rooted in Jewish tradition and finding continuity through the ages'
The concept of community is expressed by Maimonides, in his Mishnah Torah,
as follows:
''Although he may not have committed any transgressions, but simply
separated himself from the congregation of Israel and does not perform
the commandments together with them, does not participate in their
troubles nor observe their fast days, but rather goes his own way, he
has no share in the world to come."7
A modern commentator analyzing this statement observes:
"Community, in Jewish thought, is a theological concept. God wants . . .
a community of Jews and . . . all of the communal activities ... to
come under the influence of sanctity. We need a community, because it
is the only way and it is the only form through which we can express
g
compassion, justice, righteousness, which is the essence of Judaism."
The tradition of Jewish communal life since the period of the Babylonian exile,
was expressed in the Kehillah, which has existed in various forms in the countries where
Jews have lived. One scholar defines the Kehillah as "frequently a central organization
regulating the ritual, educational, and charitable institutions of a community, and . . .
9
recognized by the Government as representing the community."
Another scholar, who studied an historical effort to establish a Kehillah in the
United States during this century, describes the Kehillah in its classic form as it was
developed in Poland during the early Seventeenth Century:
"Structurally, the . . . Kehillah combined ... a strong executive body and
I
a wide-ranging network of voluntary associations. Elected elders, drawn